Is the hijab—the veil associated with Muslim women—a symbol of oppression, an emblem of cultural identity, a combination of these two elements, or something else altogether? Set against a backdrop of Madison Avenue ads and Hollywood movies that alternately romanticize and demonize the Middle Eastern woman, this program presents the history of Arab womanhood, from the days of the early colonial missions to the post-Gulf War era. Informed and articulate Arab women living in North America passionately elucidate the ideologies behind the veil, as they tear away the labels imposed by both East and West.